Showa Kinen Park — Attraction in Tokyo

This is really a fantastic park that has many things to offer. It is open year around and they offer a year pass for those who think they will visit often. The pass is ¥4500 and pays for itself after 10 visits. The only thing the pass really isn't the best for is visiting the water park, but still totally worth it. The pay area of the park has many things to do. One of the main things is the big field that is surrounded by flower gardens. This is a huge field where many people setup covered/popup tents and/or blankets and relax, have a picnic, fly a kite, play Frisbee, etc. During the summer this is where they setup and hold the fireworks display, which goes for about an hour. There are a couple of food booths here where you get sandwiches, yakisoba, and other simple foods along with sodas, water, and beer. During special times and festivals they also bring in a much larger variety of venders. In addition to the big field they also have a phenomenal kids area with a huge bouncy cloud (check it out on the satellite imagery, it's the big white spots in the northwest corner), a couple of playgrounds, and a rope structure for climbing on. There is also a small pyramid structure nearby along with rock dragons the kids can climb on and so much more. Nearby the kids area is a beautiful Japanese garden with a bonsai tree exhibit and a old Japanese village that shows you how a feudal Japanese village operated. There is also a BBQ area where you can rent grills and buy food to cook there in the BBQ area. Also the a good sized water park that operates during the summer which I highly recommend to visit if you live nearby. Additionally, during the winter they have a fun little winter illumination with food and drink vendors. There is more to do at this place, so go and explore! The park entrance fee is easily worth the ¥450 per adult and free for kids under 15. The easiest access is via Nichi-Tachikawa Station by train or one of the two parking...

Showa Memorial Park, also known as Showa Kinen Park, is a beautiful and extensive national park located in Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan. It was opened in 1983 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Emperor Showa's reign. The park covers an area of approximately 163 hectares (403 acres), which makes it one of the largest parks in Tokyo.

The park offers a wide variety of natural and cultural facilities, and it's designed to enable visitors to enjoy the changing of the seasons. Here are some of the main features of the park:

Japanese Garden: A traditional Japanese landscape garden with a large pond, tea houses, and a variety of plants that change with the seasons.

Bonsai Garden: Here you can see a collection of miniature trees styled in the traditional art of Bonsai.

Giant Ball Field: An open area where you can enjoy various sports.

Barbecue Garden: A dedicated area for barbecuing, popular among families and groups.

Children's Forest: This area includes nature-themed playgrounds, a tree house, a bouncing dome, and an adventure trail.

Water Park: This area is particularly popular in summer and includes a wading pool and a mist plaza.

Tachikawa Cycling Course: You can rent bicycles and ride around the park.

Bird Sanctuary: An area reserved for bird-watching.

Poppy Hills: A field full of poppy and cosmos flowers.

The park is also known for its beautiful seasonal views: cherry blossoms in spring, tulips and poppies in early summer, cosmos in autumn, and ginkgo trees in winter. The park's management organizes various events throughout the year, including a Flower Festival in the spring and an illumination event in the winter.

The park is easily accessible from central Tokyo, and it serves as a valuable recreational area for people of all ages. Whether you're interested in nature, sports, or cultural activities, Showa Memorial Park offers something...

A huge park that’s three times the size of Shinjuku Gyoen National Park.

There are several gates to enter and exit from, but you will probably enter through Tachikawa or Nishi-Tachikawa Gate if you are taking the train from central Tokyo (Shinjuku Station) via JR Chuo towards Ome.

You will need to buy a ticket from the window or one of the machines. There is an option for English or other languages. You can even pay using your Suica or other IC card.

When I went (May and November 2022) there were many food options from takoyaki to udon to rice plates. There is basically a mini outdoor ‘food court’ in every part of the park. There are also many vending machines near the food places and trash cans, too.

There are designated and paved bike and walk lanes, so it is safe and accessible. There is a huge open grass lawn to picnic or lie down or run around, plus a playground area with play structures for kids.

There is a Japanese garden, tennis courts, cherry blossom area, and more I didn’t get to explore.

The only negative thing for me was that many structures and buildings were outdated such as old benches and old bathrooms. Like in most Japanese park bathrooms, most of the stalls were ‘Asian’ squat style and they were a bit dirty.

This park has a lot to offer, and I loook forward to visiting again in the spring when the cherry blossoms are at their peak!

It is pretty busy during autumn season, but since it’s so big, you can still take nice photos...